Roman Holiday
by jeromevaleska
Summary: Gotham has never met a couple like you and Jerome Valeska, and they are going to wish they never did. You two wreak havoc and bring the city to its knees. This story is about how you two take over Gotham and the many adventures of getting to the top together.
1. Good Riddance

"Oh my god, this bitch is heavier than I thought!" you said in frustration, helping the ginger carry his mother's body onto the back of the truck.

"No surprise there. She's even a nuisance when she's dead." he chuckled to himself as he placed her body down with you. He threw a white sheet over her body and made sure that every inch was covered.

"How much time do we have left? We have to dispose of the gloves and our clothes." you said in a loud whisper.

"We have enough time to burn them, stop stressing so much." he said in an annoyed tone.

You assisted Jerome by gathering nearby wood and tinder. He stacked the kindling on top of the tinder in a teepee-like structure and created a small fire pit. He grabbed a couple of matches and lighted several sides of the tinder on fire. Jerome pulled off his bloodied gloves and you followed, throwing them into the fire where they burned rapidly. The angry fire's smoke smelled of scorched wood with hints of blood in it. You glanced at Jerome, he was content with himself you could tell, but he was silent at the same time, because there were no words to say after what you two had done.

Your way of helping was by trapping his mother, getting her alone when it was showtime for Haly's circus performers. You hated Lila almost as much as Jerome did so you wanted to help in some way. You watched as he stroke her several times with the hatchet and in that moment you couldn't be prouder of him. He was finally taking control of his life and disposing of the root of his anguish. You would never see that detestable swine again and you believed that the world would be a better place without her in it. You were also very thankful that Cicero had allowed you to use his truck and gave you two permission to clean up in his trailer after the deed was done. You weren't quite sure why the fortune teller approved of the killing of Lila and his reason for helping but you figured that he hated her as well.

All three of you shared Lila's blood on your hands.

His mother was beating him for years, ever since he was a little boy and you couldn't bear it anymore. Something had to be done. She was gone and nobody was going to miss her.

You and Jerome had to get rid of every piece of evidence, so that included all of your clothes. Jerome took your hand in his and led you to the trailer where you two quickly disrobed, washed up any parts of your body that had spots of blood on it, and changed into fresh, blood-free clothes. You came back out to toss the clothes into the pit of fire and watched it burn once more. After it was finished, you poured a bucket of water on it to blow it out. You grabbed a shovel and dug a small hole in the ground, then you kicked the ashes of the clothes into the hole so that there wouldn't be any traces of evidence left for the GCPD to find. You threw the dirt back into the hole and patted it down with the shovel. You sighed in relief after you finished and wiped the sweat off your forehead with the back of your hand. You dashed back to the trailer and slammed the door behind you, washing your hands again at the sink. You grabbed a towel and dried your hands with it, and even though they were clean you felt like you could still see the blood stains on your palms.

You sat down on one of the seats as Jerome double checked his face and neck for any traces of blood in the mirror.

"When the police come here, which they will be soon. Our alibi is that we were at the library, so we have to act like we just came back. Got it?" you said softly.

"I was just about to say that. The library is close enough, and Mr. Cicero will be our witness." he said, taking a seat next to you.

You looked back at him earnestly, you couldn't help but wonder why Mr. Cicero was helping in the first place. It piqued your interest.

"Why do you think he's risking so much to help you?" he looked back at you and you could see in his eyes that he didn't know the answer either.

"My guess is that he's another one of her sex partners, he's probably bitter that she wouldn't have sex with him anymore because he's an old geezer." he said, laughing hysterically.

"You're probably right about that." you giggled, but a part of you couldn't help but think there was more to it than something as trivial as that.

You moved closer to him and sat on his lap suddenly, making yourself comfortable there. You wrapped your arms around his neck and pulled him closer to you. You looked into his eyes and you could see that they were smiling. You leaned in and kissed his lips gently and slowly at first, your noses brushing against one another's. You tilted your head to the side and pressed your lips against his passionately once more.

He pulled away, your lips at a short distance from his. "I could have done this all by myself, you know." he said, smirking that mischievous smirk.

"I know. But you didn't have to. I'm always going to be your partner in crime remember?" you said with a soft smile on your face, your forehead against his.

"I don't think you've ever turned me on nearly as much as you have today. You're full of surprises, Y/N." he grinned deviously.

"As long as I'm around, you're going to keep getting them." you replied, gazing at him with soft eyes.

"I better keep you around for as long as possible then." he snickered, pulling you into another deep kiss. His lips were tender and moist, they felt so soothing against yours and you wanted nothing more than to be able to taste them forever. You held him close to your body and started to play with his tongue with your own. He uttered low and soft moans as you two shared an open mouth kiss.

Time passed by rather quickly and you didn't even realize it because you were with Jerome, you treasured every moment you had with him, and he made everything better without even trying. You couldn't ask for a better boyfriend or accomplice, he was all that you needed in the world.

You two stayed up kissing, touching, and talking for such a long time that you started to get sleepy. The trailer wasn't the best place for a nap but you felt like you needed one after what you just did, rest was essential after committing such a heinous crime. Your head was positioned on Jerome's lap because you found it more comforting than a pillow. You were hugging your knees close to your body as you tried to catch some z's. Jerome was still wide awake, he played with your strands of hair between his fingers as he sat in thought.

Before you could get an efficient amount of sleep, there was a loud bang on the door. You immediately jolted up from Jerome's lap and tried to fix your hair hastily with your hands.

"I'll get it." he said, immediately getting up from his seat and opening the door. Unsurprisingly, it was exactly who you thought it would be.

"GCPD!" Jim Gordon said assertively. "We need to speak with Lila Valeska. Is she here?"

You peaked out the window, you spotted Jim Gordon but he was not alone. There was a slim young dark-haired brunette woman beside him.

Jerome hastily pulled a coat over his body while replying, "She's not here, she was supposed to be back a while ago, I've been worried sick."

"Do you have any idea where she went?" he asked firmly.

"She didn't say where she was going, the last time I saw her was this morning, before I took off to the library.

'Are you related to Lila?" Jim questioned.

"I'm her son, Jerome." Jerome said timidly.

You suddenly felt like you should come out. It didn't feel right for Jerome to be in the limelight alone, you two were a team and if he was going to be questioned then so were you. You opened the door to the trailer and stepped out.

"Good evening Officer Gordon. How can we help you?" you tried to pull together the most sincere smile you could muster.

"We just needed to ask a couple of questions. Have you seen Lila anywhere? There was a fight on stage, with the Lloyds and Graysons." Jim inquired.

"I'm sorry I can't say I've seen her. What happened with the Lloyds and Graysons?" you asked, feigning worry.

Before Jim could answer, he started eyeing the snake in its cage. The snake, Sheeba, belonged to Lila and she seemed uneasy, she wouldn't stay still.

The dark brunette spoke up suddenly, whose name was Leslie Thompkins.

"The snake is really fidgety. Is she normally like this?" she asked, looking back at the two of us.

"No she's not. She knows something is wrong, she's really worried." Jerome said softly, turning his head to look at the tense snake.

"Let the snake out." Jim said sternly.

"Sir, I'm not sure if–"

"Let her out." Jim interrupted, repeating himself.

Jerome obeyed, unlocking the cage and letting the snake loose onto the ground. You kept your eyes on the snake just like Leslie, Jim, and Jerome did. You couldn't help but feel apprehensive because you knew that it was all about acting now, your performance here meant everything, it was make or break for both of you and Jerome. The snake slithered around her path, she was very familiar of her surroundings. Sheeba glided her way further and everyone followed her as she led the way.

Sheeba started to make its way onto the square-shaped haystacks and slid under the sheet on the back of the truck. Jim tossed aside the sheet once the snake was fully underneath it, only to discover the snake dancer's corpse.

Leslie, Jerome, and you gasped almost in unison but Jim stood calm, he was accustomed to occurrences like these.

Jerome fell to his knees, his eyes starting to water, and he whimpered at the sight of his mother's dead body. You immediately ran over to him and sat on the ground so you could pull him in a tight embrace. You let him cry on your shoulder and you rubbed his back comfortingly, your sleeve becoming wet with his tears.

Shortly after the revelation, the entirety of Haly's circus was sent to the headquarters of GCPD to investigate the murder of Lila Valeska. You couldn't help but feel nervous for yourself and Jerome, though at the same time you were confident that you two would get away with this crime. You reminded yourself to stay cool and calm at all times, no matter what questions were asked.

You were sent to the interrogation room with Jim, he closed the door behind him and he sat down on the chair across from you.

"So tell me your name and who you are." he said humorlessly.

"My name is Y/N. I work at the circus as a hoop dancer. I'm Jerome's girlfriend, and we've been dating for two years." you said matter-of-factly.

"What's your association with Lila Valeska? Did you know her well?" he asked.

"I knew her really well. She was a really kind woman. Jerome and Lila were really close." you said, you looked him in the eye and kept your focus on him. You were proud of your acting skills and the lies you told, you felt like he believed your every word or at least you hoped.

"Do you have any idea of who could have done this to her?" he inquired, his poker-face was practically glued onto his face.

"Everyone here at Haly's Circus is like family, we are all so close and I couldn't imagine who would want to hurt Lila. But if I had to make an educated guess, I would say it has to be one of her many sex partners." you replied.

"Can you give me any names of her sex partners?" he questioned. You felt like this was the opportunity to pin the blame on someone else so you took it.

"Lila had sex with nearly every male at the circus. But between you and me, I don't fully trust Alphonse at times. One time I saw him threatening her, it was over something petty, but the look in his eyes made me think that he was capable of murder. It wasn't just the look on his face, he had a deadly grip on her arm and it left an ugly bruise afterwards. I've tried my best to avoid him ever since." you simulated a sullen look on your face, trying to appear as you were genuinely frightened.

"We'll bring him in for questioning, that does raise a red flag." he said. You could see him jotting down what you just reported to him, but you didn't let that worry you.

"Where were you this morning? Did you see her at all today?" he looked back up at you.

"She was home when Jerome and I left to the library, and that's the last time I saw her." you said in a saddened tone.

"Is there anything else you can tell me?" he solicited. You were growing tired of the questions and you wanted to leave the room as soon as possible.

"I don't think there's anything else. But if you have any more questions, I'll be glad to accommodate. We have to find out who did this to Lila, for Jerome's sake. I can't bear to see him like this." you swallowed, acting as if you were getting choked up.

"Thank you for cooperating, Y/N. You're free to go. I'll be sure to let you know when we get more information. We will find out who did this. " he looked at you with a small smile and you smiled back.

You nodded your head in agreement and smiled lightly at him before leaving. When you left the room, you took a deep breath and sighed to yourself. You knew that Jerome would be interrogated shortly after you exited and it left a bitter taste in your mouth.

You waited for Jerome outside of the precinct and you tried not to stress but you found it difficult not to. You glanced at your wrist watch numerous times. You were aware that Jerome knew how to lie but you also knew that Jim was shrewd.

It seemed like a perpetuity but when you saw him step out the door, you quickly jumped to embrace him.

"How did it go?" you asked, without delay.

"We're free to go. Cops are so dumb, they don't suspect a thing." he said with a chuckle and a grin on his face. You two started to walk away from the precinct. Jerome wrapped his arm around your shoulder and pulled you close to his body. "Even on the slim chance that they find out, there's no way in hell they are spliting us apart." he said, looking back at you with a sly smirk. You smiled when he reassured you. You felt warm and safe staying so close to him, you started to fall in love with the idea of being his partner in crime.

"Now we wait." you said as you and Jerome continued to walk away from the police department.


	2. The Interrogation

"Jim Gordon said we couldn't leave town because the investigation was ongoing, but now I wish we would have left." you said with a concerned voice. "He wants you down at the station now."

"Gotham is our home, I'm not going to run off because of some stupid cops. Trust me, they didn't find anything." he tried to reassure you but you couldn't help feeling uneasy.

"I hope you're right. Either way, you have to go down there or else they'll come here. There's no avoiding them." you said, you tried to prepare yourself for what could happen but at the same time you didn't want to think about it.

"What's the worst that could happen? They'll send me to Arkham Asylum? That place can't be so bad." he chuckled to himself.

"I know you don't want to be behind bars, and neither do I." you said with your arms folded over your chest. "We killed Lila together so whatever happens, we will face together. I won't let them take you away from me, not after everything we've been through." you said softly.

"They couldn't lock us up forever. We could easily break out. We can do anything, remember?" he smirked and added, "You worry too much."

"And you worry too little. We're not crazy, we don't belong there. I don't want to be restricted and have my every move watched by robotic guards." you fretted.

"Even if it does come down to that, I don't regret a thing. That bitch got what was coming to her. My only regret is not getting rid of her sooner." he said with a bleak tone to his voice. You looked at him sympathetically. You stepped closer to him and planted your hands on both of his cheeks, gazing into his eyes earnestly.

"You're right, we did the right thing. It had to be done. She can't hurt you anymore and that's all I care about." you leaned in close enough till your noses brushed against one another. "No matter what happens, I'm with you. Don't ever forget that. They can't separate us." you meant every word, you were silently telling him that you loved him and you hoped he knew that.

"I'd like to see them try." he remarked. A smile formed on his face and you gave him one in return.

"I'm going with you. I'll be waiting for you outside the room. I'm not letting you go alone." you told him adamantly, there was nothing that was going to change your mind so he complied.

There was no use fighting it or avoiding it. You hoped for the best possible outcome but expected the worst. You and Jerome made your way back to the precinct together. Jerome was escorted by an officer to the interrogation room, which is when you two had to part. You waited patiently outside the room for him just like you said.

When Jerome walked in, you spotted Paul Cicero in one of the chairs across from Jim Gordon. Suddenly, the bad feeling in the pit of your stomach worsened. You heard Jim sternly tell Jerome to take a seat. Your mind became full with worries with what could happen to you and Jerome. You found it troubling to stay still but you couldn't let that show, you took a deep breath and attempted to relax. You wanted this to be done and dealt with as soon as possible.

Time moved very slowly, you felt as if you were waiting for ages. You knew that you weren't waiting for as long as it seemed but it was exhausting delaying the inevitable. You constantly found yourself eyeing the ticking clock across from you, it was the only thing you could hear or see.

Finally, after your prolonged lull, an unsmiling police officer walked up to you. "Detective Gordon needs to speak with you." he said impassively. You knew you didn't have a choice but to obey. The officer opened the door to the interrogation room and then closed it instantaneously. Jerome and Cicero were no longer in the room, which made you apprehensive. Your throat tightened and your stomach was in knots suddenly.

"Hello Y/N, take a seat." he said with a blank expression on his face, you sensed a hint of suspension in his voice as. You followed his direction and sat down on the chair in front of him. "Where's Jerome and Mr. Cicero?" you asked with genuine curiosity.

"Before we get to that, I have to ask you some questions regarding the murder of Lila Valeska." he said, looking at you with unwavering eyes.

"Alright. I'll try to help you the very best that I can." you said, your heart beating rapidly and you hoped with everything you had that he couldn't hear it.

"Where were you this morning? Before Lila was murdered." he inquired, keeping his eyes focused only on you.

"I was at the library with Jerome." you stated quickly, your lies coming natural to you now.

"What were you doing there exactly?" he asked, tilting his head to the side slightly.

"What anyone does at the library; to read of course." you smiled lightly, you attempted not to let your nerves show in any way, if that was even possible.

"Only your alibi doesn't check out. I've questioned many people at Haly's circus and the other hoop dancers said that they saw you with Lila this morning, that you two were spending time together." he continued to interrogate. You wore a calm and unworried face on like it was a mask. You knew he was onto you but you weren't going to give in to what he wanted, and that was your break down.

"Well sir-"

"Your story doesn't check out. It's convenient that you both said you were at the library this morning and then at the trailer after the stage fight." he interrupted, staring back at you with a cold look in his eyes.

"I can explain that. Lila was preparing me for tomorrow's next show, I had a new gig. That's all it was." you lied. Your heart started to beat even faster, you knew that Gordon knew and it made you feel sick with disappointment in yourself.

"You were never at the library. Mr. Cicero let you and Jerome cleaned up in the trailer after he murdered his mother up on that hill. You brought her there, which is why you were with her yesterday." he said, his tone becoming increasingly grim.

"You're accusing me of helping Jerome murder his mother? That's crazy. Why would I do that? He loved his mother, he would never hurt her." you replied with a frown on your face. He knew the truth and you came to the realization that you were going to be arrested regardless. "Where are Mr. Cicero and Jerome?" you asked for the second time.

"Cicero said that Lila sent him a message from beyond the grave, which wasn't possible. His message sent us to Arkham Bridge Park. I found a hatchet with satanic symbols scratched into it, Cicero tried to frame the Hellfire Club but they hadn't been active in a decade. He wanted us to think that satanists were responsible for Lila's death. The hatchet was an inexperienced ploy, so I knew he was desperate to protect someone, just like you are. You and Mr. Cicero helped cover up the crime. And you lied about being at the library with Jerome so that you two would have an alibi." he explained.

You were about to speak up but then he continued, "Cicero told Jerome to scratch the symbols onto the hatchet and throw it over the bridge. Do you know why he helped Jerome?" he questioned with a stone-cold face. You shook your head in response and waited for him to tell you. "Cicero is his father, that's why he helped him as he did."

You couldn't say that you were shocked upon hearing the revelation, you were always a little suspicious of him and why he helped you two commit the crime in the first place, but you couldn't help but wonder how Jerome took the news.

"I also heard from the other performers that you two do almost everything together, which got me thinking that could even mean commit first degree murder together. You could have stayed back home and waited for us to bring you in for questioning, but you came here with him. It was just like your comrades said about you two. Now I need you to tell me the truth. Did you work as an accomplice to the murder of Lila?" he inquired.

He had all the pieces to the puzzle and you were aware that Jerome was already apprehended, there wasn't anything you could do to change that. You bit your lip anxiously but then quickly broke your silence.

"Yes, I did. I only helped him because I thought Lila was going to kill him one day. She was so cruel to him, I couldn't lose him to her. She was a selfish bitch who only cared about herself and booze." you confessed, you knew that you would live to regret it but the cat was out of the bag.

"You were with Jerome when he murdered his mother, weren't you?" he asked, leaning a little closer to analyze your facial features when you spoke to him.

"Yes, I was." you admitted reluctantly.

"You wouldn't be in this predicament if you weren't blindly loyal. You could have reported her to the police instead of taking matters in your own hands, it wouldn't have to be this ugly." he stated, he almost sounded disappointed.

"I did what I had to. How would you feel if someone you loved was mistreated every day? Would you be able to stand by and watch it happen? Would you want that person behind bars or dead where they couldn't even think of doing it?" your tone changed, you spoke acrimoniously and without self-discipline.

"That is not our choice to make." he didn't answer your questions but he continued to look at you fixedly. "You have to leave these matters to the law." he brought out the handcuffs suddenly, your eyes widened because those restraints meant the end of your freedom.

"Y/N, you are under arrest for acting as an accomplice of the murder of Lila Valeska. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law." he recited and he latched the handcuffs tightly on both of your wrists, locking them in place.

"Wait! I need to know where Jerome is. Where did you take him?" you demanded and he gave you the courtesy of answering your question.

"He's been sent to Arkham Asylum. That's not where you're going. I'm sending you to Blackgate Penitentiary." he revealed. You were not going to allow Gordon to send you there, you had to keep your promise to Jerome and yourself that you wouldn't let the police separate you two.

"You can't send me to Blackgate Penitentiary, I don't belong there! You hear me?" you struggled in the restricting manacles.

Gordon guided you to the exit door until you abruptly exclaimed. "I killed my father before I joined Haly's circus! That's why I found it so easy to help Jerome murder his mother! We're more similar than you think. I got away with killing my father because he was the scum of the earth! A nobody; every day he would drink and beat me until I couldn't take it anymore, so I got rid of him just like Jerome with his mother." you yelled out suddenly which made Gordon pause for a couple of moments, he was taken aback by your confession.

Every word of your announcement was true, you were able to get away with the crime because not many knew of his name, he was just a raging drunk and a drug addict. The people who knew him believed that he died of an overdose of alcohol, but that was only partly true. One day when you were ordered to serve him a full cup of whiskey, you gave his drink a lethal dose of sodium thiopental. When he was sent to the hospital from a fellow neighbor, the hospital staff ruled his death a suicide and you were scot-free. It made you hate Lila even more because she reminded you of your father. You weren't going to let someone you love continue to be treated the way you were for years. You believed people like that didn't deserve to be behind bars, they needed to be punished further. You loathed your father with every fiber of your being but you also felt that he made you a stronger person and that if it wasn't for him, you wouldn't have been able to help Jerome kill his mother.

"It came easy to me because I've done it before. I'm not just an accomplice, Gordon." you hissed snarkily and with a baleful laugh.

"You're going to Blackgate Penitentiary until further investigation." he looked at you with a somber expression and stood his ground.

"You're making a mistake! There's nothing more to investigate, it's the heart-rending truth!" you growled in frustration as Gordon led you out the door.


	3. Arkham Asylum

You were stuck at Blackgate Penitentiary while Gordon investigated the death of your father. It didn't take him long to look into it and when he obtained the information he needed, you were sent to court which was a longer process then you would have liked. It was boring and a waste of time, all you could think about was getting to Arkham Asylum and being there with Jerome. Your stay at Blackgate Penitentiary was different to say the least. You were teased and harassed at times by other inmates, which was the worst part for you. You couldn't say that you left the prison bruise and scratch free. Your body ached every day from the rough bunk bed you were given and the prison food made you want to vomit. Things would never go back to the way they were before, you learned to accept that during your time at the prison. You hated the environment, the people, the smell, and literally everything about it but you didn't regret the crimes you committed. It gave you a thrill and a sense of freedom, you loved how it felt to finally take some control of your life. You weren't going to let anyone hold you down anymore, things were going to be done your way and your way only. You couldn't help but wonder how things were at Arkham Asylum and how Jerome was adjusting to it. You weren't worried about him, you knew he could handle himself but you missed him and everything about him. You counted down the days you were held there, it was exactly three weeks.

Finally on the twenty-second day, you were approached by an officer in your cell and he unlocked the door to it.

With a blank expression on his face, he said, "Get up."

You were resting on the bed, you had almost fallen asleep but once he arrived you jolted up.

"Sending you to Arkham Asylum." the officer pulled out a pair of handcuffs and locked them around your wrists. He grabbed you by the arm and led you out of the cell. He guided you to the exit with a firm clutch on your skin. "Be gentle with me, I'm delicate, you know." you giggled. You smirked as you observed the other inmates locked up in their cells, they looked at you threateningly but you didn't care. You were headed to where you belonged and they were stuck at Blackgate Penitentiary.

Once you left the building, the officer shoved you into a car immediately and then started the vehicle the moment he sat in the driver's seat. You leaned your head against the backseat's headrest and smiled to yourself. You were victorious, you got exactly what you wanted. You and Jerome weren't going to be apart any longer, just like you promised.

The drive was shorter than you expected, the officer wasn't much of a chatterbox so you were able to hear yourself think for once which was difficult to do back at the dreaded prison. He stopped the car and led you out for the second time, he held onto your arm vigorously and you found his impatience with you to be amusing. "Do you have any idea how to treat a lady?" you jested.

He didn't waste his breath answering your silly question, he grasped your arm again and led you to the building. You lifted your head up to view the words at the gate which read, "Arkham Asylum". He opened the door and you were immediately greeted with growls and shouting from the other inmates. You scanned them as some banged their hands or heads against their cells, some men were whistling at you as you walked past them, some were rocking back and forth, some were screaming and rapidly shaking the bars on their cells. Watching the inmates caged up like that sent a shiver down your spine, you wanted to keep your distance from them as much as possible. The officer sent you to a room with a doctor awaiting for you, who had two guards at her side. They allowed you to change into the standard Arkham attire, which was the bland black and white striped dress. When you finished, the two guards gripped both of your arms again, which seemed like the routine around here was being mistreated.

You couldn't help but chuckle when they shoved you forward and brought you to the vast common room with several other inmates. "Easy boys, give a girl a break." you teased with a playful smile on your face. The doctor and the guards ignored your remarks, when you turned your head you saw the doctor jotting something down with a pen. One of the guards locked the door and you eyed him as he slipped the keys into his pocket.

You observed your surroundings, searching for the tall and roguish ginger. You heard whistles from behind you and in front of you. It took everything to bite your tongue and not to raise your middle finger at them. You spotted a gang of four in the corner, there was a tall man staring at you over his glasses and the other three were just laughing and grinning wickedly. You looked over your shoulder and you heard inmates whispering about you.

"She's a little girl, she won't last one day in here."

"What did she do anyway? She looks like she couldn't hurt a fly."

"This is not a place for nice girls. I already feel pity for her."

"Maybe now we'll finally get some entertainment."

Their mockeries drowned the voice in your head, you couldn't hear yourself think. You hated being the center of attention from these nauseating inmates, but this was foreign territory to you. You weren't sure where Jerome was, but you knew you needed to see him, and if it meant that you had to cross the other convicts then so be it. You started walking when suddenly you were approached by a large bulky man with a sinister grin on his face.

"Where are you going princess?" he questioned, his voice gruff and deep. He blocked your way, not allowing you to pass.

"Get out of my way, bozo." you answered, your hands placed at your hips.

"Looks like we got ourselves a spunky one!" he cackled, moving closer to you and continued to stand in your way.

"I'm not looking for trouble, so move over jackass. You think you're all high and mighty because you're bigger than me? Something tells me you're not as tough as you think you are." you taunted him, you stood your ground and you weren't going to let him waver you.

You grabbed the attention of the group of inmates in the corner again, they couldn't keep your eyes off you and they were very curious how you mustered enough courage to stand up to the hefty man in front of you.

He suddenly grabbed you by your throat and clenched your skin firmly. He lifted you from the ground, you gasped in response, kicking your feet as he held you up. You felt your cheeks redden and you couldn't breathe.

"Now now, I highly recommend not to make enemies with the new girl. She's with me."

There he was. The only inmate that you wanted to see. The man released his hold on your neck and let you drop to the ground upon hearing the ginger's voice. You coughed loudly, trying to catch your breath and you circled your hand around your neck to soothe some of the pain.

"Sorry, I had no idea, Jerome." the man said, his voice suddenly less threatening. He glanced at your body on the floor and then walked away back to his table.

"Took you a while to get here. One could say I was starting to get a little lonely, just a little." he chuckled and extended his hand out to help you up. You smiled and grabbed his hand, bringing yourself back to your feet.

He pulled you close to his side and whispered in your ear, "Don't you worry about that son of a bitch, he won't be breathing much longer after that. No one messes with my girl."

"What an asshole." you grunted and then added, "I missed your stupid face." you said softly.

"Stupid? That's not a very warm welcome, Y/N." he replied, his hand at his chest and a pout formed on his face. You laughed, he always knew how to make you smile. He grasped your hand and led you to one of the tables in a corner. He took a seat and you sat in the one across from him.

"Now, you have to tell me why it took you so long to get here. I was just about to blow everyone's brains out from mere boredom." he said, chuckling to himself.

"I think you can make an educated guess about how I got here." you looked back at him solemnly.

He tilted his head to the side and asked in a low voice, "Did you tell them about?"

You nodded, he knew what you were talking about without you having to say it out loud. If you hadn't told Gordon of your crime from the past then you wouldn't be here. You felt like it was worth it but at the same time you didn't want to be known for patricide, it was something you wanted to stay in the past, because the mere thought of him made your skin crawl.

He slowly started to smile and he leaned in to plant a swift kiss on your lips. "Don't you worry, it'll all be worth it. I'll make sure that damned police department get what's coming to them." he said reassuringly.

"You won't have to do it alone." you uttered, smirking back at him. Suddenly, you reached out for his hand and held it tightly in yours. "I told you they wouldn't be able to separate us."

"They can keep trying, but they won't ever succeed. It's fun to see them attempt though." he continued to laugh, and that was one of the things you missed most about him, that charming laugh still got you every time.

"I was sent to Blackgate Penitentiary while Gordon investigated about what happened to my father, which is why it took so long to get here. It was a long process with court and everything, I just wanted it to be over. I don't regret anything we did, just that we got caught." you said, looking back at him earnestly.

"So that's where they sent you. It's a shame you were there for so long. What was the worst part?" he questioned with his hand positioned on his cheek, looking at you puppy-eyed.

"The worst part? Hm." you thought to yourself for a few moments and then answered. "Probably the gross food, there was literally no flavor in any of it." you teased, you both knew that the answer was being away from him.

"Ah, you are not a good liar." he remarked.

"So how have things been around here? Looks like these meatheads fear you." you commented, you were very grateful that he arrived in time before that vile inmate tried to harm you further, your neck continued to ache from his firm grip on your throat.

"They know what I'm capable of. They might be bigger, but there's not much up here." he pressed his finger against the side of his forehead. "It's easy to make them do what you want, you just have to know how to manipulate them." a broad smirk appeared on his face as he snickered. "But I did make some friends." he said, leaning closer to you.

"Oh really? Well maybe you should introduce me." you suggested.

"See the big guy over there?" he motioned his head over to the one wearing glasses in the small gang at the back of the room, you nodded and glanced back at the tall man staring at you. He continued, "His name is Richard Sionis. He's a millionaire. He runs this place, and see his minions sitting next to him? They formed a gang, which I'm a part of." he revealed proudly.

"You're a part of this group? They look like trouble, but that's your calling card isn't it?" you giggled softly.

"Any friend of mine is a friend of his. What do you say? Do you want to be a part of something much bigger than Haly's circus?" he asked, his eyebrows raised with a cheeky grin on his face. You couldn't reject his offer, even though you were wary of the other inmates, you weren't going to miss out on all the fun with Jerome.

"I can't see why not!" you agreed simply.

"Just the answer I was looking for. Let's go over to their table, it's time for you to introduce yourself." he cooed and he held out his hand for you to take as he led you to the group.

You pulled out a chair and sat in it beside Jerome. You introduced yourself to everyone and they politely did the same, but the broad one whose name was Robert Greenwood, gave you the creeps. He wouldn't stop ogling you from the second you arrived at their table which made you feel revolted and you chose to act like he wasn't there.

"So you're Jerome's girl, we've been expecting you." Richard said, looking back at you fixedly. "He says you're not as gentle as you look."

"I can assure you she's a wild one, she has exactly what it takes." Jerome devilishly grinned, he wasn't able to contain his excitement. You perked up when he said that, you loved when he spoke of you.

"I'd love to see more of what you can do. You're not as strong, but your beauty puts you at an advantage." he lightly smiled at you.

"You're not suggesting that I play the damsel in distress are you?" you raised an eyebrow, you wanted to have much more fun than being a decoy for the group.

"No, but I can see you being the most versatile." he adjusted his glasses with a finger, a sinister look in his eye. You were certainly gratified by his words, he made you feel very welcome to the group.

You turned your head to the sound of hearing the gate open again. A thin young woman with blonde locks stepped into the room. You recognized her immediately because of her high status as an art gallery owner, she was the one and only Barbara Kean. Your interest was piqued, you wondered what she did to get here. You caught Jerome staring at her, but so was everyone else. All eyes were on her like she was a kitten stepping into a zoo full of lions.

"What did Goldilocks do to get in here?" you whispered over to Jerome.

"And things continue to get interesting." he uttered with an amused look on his face.

Barbara slumped in a chair by the nearest table with a magazine in her hands, she flipped through the pages aimlessly, ignoring everyone in the room.

"Barbara Kean, isn't it?" Richard said, looking over at her curiously.

"Don't you worry, Y/N, you're still the most gorgeous girl in the room." Jerome reassured you with a smug smile.

"Well of course, and no one rocks this dress better than I do." you laughed, tooting your own horn.

"But that doesn't mean we can't make friends with her." he recommended.

"You're right. I'm curious as to why she's here, anyhow." you grabbed his hand again and made your way towards Barbara's table with Jerome. Jerome hopped eagerly into the chair in front of her and you sat next to him across from her.

"Why hello there, I'm Jerome." he introduced himself confidently as always.

"And why does that matter to me?" Barbara replied with a disrespectful tone to her voice as she continued to turn the pages of her magazine.

"You're not very considerate of other people's feelings are you?' he said with a smug expression on his face, he quickly added, " So what brings you to Arkham?"

"I killed my parents." she admitted, avoiding any kind of eye contact with either of you.

You and Jerome gasped with feigned shock upon hearing her confess that.

"What a lovely coincidence!" Jerome exclaimed enthusiastically, he wrapped his arm around your shoulder and brought you closer to him as he spoke. "I killed my mother and my boo over here killed her father. But you take the cake by killing both of them! They must have been some parents huh?" he cackled.

"Miss Patricide and Mr. Matricide, you two are meant to be, how cute." she commented in a sarcastic manner.

"I wouldn't have gotten caught if it wasn't for this flop." you nudged him with your elbow. "He got sloppy."

Jerome looked back at you in a nettled manner. "Forgive me for wanting to see that bitch suffer as much as possible before she died." he hissed.

"Oh I know, and I don't blame you. I was just stating a fact." you teased. "But I didn't mean to upset you." you said softly, nuzzling your nose against his neck and leaving a trail of kisses there apologetically.

"You can be such a meanie sometimes." Jerome smiled in response, and he ran his fingers down the strands of your hair affectionately.

"Go get a room." she retorted bluntly.

"You know, she's actually a lot nicer than most people here." you commented, giggling to yourself quietly.

"Barbara is beginning to bore me." he acted as if he was yawning, with his hand hovered over his mouth. "Maybe she's right, we should get a room." he turned to look at you suggestively, you couldn't help but smile in satisfaction.

He leaned in to whisper in your ear about where you two could get some privacy, you bit your lower lip anticipatedly and your cheeks flushed with a soft hue of pink. You could see Barbara rolling her eyes in the corner of your eye. Jerome took your hand as you got up from the chair, a broad grin on his face. As you two were walking away in contentment, you started smelling something strange. It was quickly followed by a loud hissing sound that persisted as a foggy gas filled the air around you. The inmates around the room started to collapse, it filled your lungs rapidly and you started to feel suffocated. Your eyes widened at Jerome but before you could say anything, you were out like a light and so was he.


	4. Free at Last

When you woke up, you found yourself restrained in some form of metal hold and your waist and chest were strapped against it. You turned to look at either side of you, the other inmates were in the same predicament. You were in a spacious and lavish room, and you spotted armed guards on both sides of the room.

You attempted to move your arms within the metal body hold but they were locked firmly into place.

You whispered over to Jerome, "Where are we exactly?"

"No clue, but it's about time we got out of that place." Jerome smirked to himself, he seemed very amused.

The other inmates beside you were Richard Sionis, Aaron Helzinger, Arnold Dobkins, Robert Greenwood, and Barbara Kean. You wondered why only seven of you were chosen. They were all groggy and confused so there was plenty of loud complaints and angry protesting, but you and Jerome didn't join in on the bickering.

As you continued to try processing what just happened, a tall man in a suit and tie with an authoritative presence entered the room. He held himself assuredly and without fear. He was followed by a young woman dressed in leather from head to toe.

"Welcome everyone! It's wonderful to see you all. My name is Theo Galavan, and this is my sister Tabitha." he introduced himself with a smug smirk on his face, standing before you and the inmates. You stared back at him, you were interested in who he was and what he wanted. All eyes were on Theo, which only led to more ear-piercing questions such as "Where are we?", " What is this place?", "What do you want with us?", and "Why did you take us here?"

"I know, I know you all have many questions about why you're here. You may be feeling disoriented. . . frightened. . . and a bit groggy. But don't fret, because today marks the beginning of a bright future for you all." Theo said with a long smirk on his face, his words immediately catching your attention and you could see Jerome smiling from the corner of your eye. Theo began walking slowly towards the restrained inmates, making eye contact with every single one of them.

"What do you want with us?" Barbara sassed. Theo turned to look at her, "I'm getting there." he said with a smile.

"The world sees criminally insane maniacs. But I beg to differ. I see an overwhelming amount of charisma and potential in all of you. You've been gifted with so much talent, I foresee great things in your future." he paused frequently in between his sentences as he paced around you. His speech was inspirational, but something about it seemed recited and artificial.

He walked up to you suddenly, looking at you fixedly. "There's a spark in you, just waiting to be ignited." he remarked with a conceited grin.

Jerome couldn't have been more thrilled, he was finally getting the recognition and the attention he so rightfully deserved. Theo's words were exactly what Jerome needed to hear.

"Imagine what it would be like to bring the city to its knees, with your talent and capabilities. Imagine the impact you would have on Gotham, everyone knowing your name. With you all working together as a team, as clever as you all are, we could surely do just that." he said, his speech started to evoke much excitement in you and you hung on to every word he said.

"Now you're speaking my language! Finally, that's what I've been itching to hear. I already like you. I'm sold, without a doubt." Jerome said, smirking broadly. Theo turned to look at him, grinning in contentment.

Theo's eyes went back to you, he analyzed your face a few moments before saying, "You're as pretty as a picture, aren't you? But you're a sly one. Continue to use that to your advantage. You don't have to be strong when you have beauty and determination. You're a resourceful one, I can tell." he said straightforwardly. You looked up to him and nodded in agreement.

"See that Jerome? I have beauty, determination, and I'm resourceful." you turned to glance at Jerome with a smile and he replied with a playful chuckle.

"Of course gorgeous, you're exactly what this team needs." Jerome added.

Theo smirked upon seeing you two interact and he sensed the connection immediately.

"You two make quite the pair, don't you? That could prove to be very beneficial." he pointed a finger at the two of you, and you couldn't be happier that he saw you and Jerome as a duo. You reminded yourself not to get overly enthusiastic, you liked where Theo was coming from but it was going to take a lot to earn your trust. Theo saw your ambition and potential but you were not going to let your guard down, you had to be cautious still.

Barbara spoke up suddenly, "They're troublemakers, don't get your hopes up with them." she said in a vexed manner.

"And that's exactly what we need." Theo said simply and then added, "So what do you all say? Are you on board? We can make the city quiver together. I will make sure that you all get the recognition and attention you deserve."

The men in the room were shouting 'yeahs' and 'of courses' excitedly that their voices echoed afterwards, but Richard interrupted all of a sudden.

"Unfortunately, I'm gonna have to pass. It's not a bad concept but you're quite overconfident to think we'd all want to be a part of your brilliant master plan. I'm not going to take orders from you, Theo. I do wish you good luck, though." Richard opposed, staring back at Theo with a bored look in his eye. Theo looked displeased, he shook his head slightly.

"That's rather disappointing, I was almost certain I made an offer you couldn't refuse. Oh well." Theo replied, you noticed that he gave his sister Tabitha a look with a quick motion of the head. "Go ahead and release him Tabitha."

Tabitha did as ordered and released him from the restraints. She kept her eyes on him the entire time. Richard started making his way across the room to leave, but Tabitha wasn't going to allow that. When his back was facing her, Tabitha grabbed the whip from her side and flung it forward, she wrapped it tightly around his throat and pulled him back which resulted in him hitting the floor. She hurried over to his body and pulled out a sharp knife. She slashed him several times, so many times that blood splattered onto her face and body. Jerome cackled at the sight, but you didn't find it to be a joke. You knew that if you opposed being on his team then you would have received the same fate. You couldn't help but feel a little uneasy, though you knew how to hide your emotions and you weren't going to let that show.

"So does anyone else agree with him?" he questioned, staring back at all of the inmates. Everyone shook their heads, but Jerome was the only one smiling about it still.

"Good, didn't think so." Theo said with a small smile. "Tabitha, go ahead and free them."

Tabitha complied and released you from the straps' firm hold. Jerome immediately made his way to your side. He leaned in close to whisper in your ear, "Our brilliance is finally being recognized, things are looking up." he said enthusiastically. You smiled back, nodding in agreement.

"Tabitha will show you around, make yourselves comfortable." Theo told the other inmates this as they curiously looked about the room. Looking back at you and Jerome, he smiled contently.

"Y/N and Jerome, a word, please. Come with me." He uttered, motioning you with his finger to come over to the back of the room with him. You and Jerome walked behind him, letting him lead the way.

You were honored that Theo found you worthy of being on his team and that you caught his eye, at the same time you couldn't help but feel apprehensive of the situation. You wanted to know what his end game was and why he assembled this team in the first place. You weren't sure of his motives and that alone was enough to concern you. There was much excitement to Theo's proposal, but you believed if you let yourself get too eager, it would lead to your downfall. You wanted to be a part of something such as this, you loved the idea of being feared, and taking control. But it seemed too good to be true, you wondered if this was all a huge ploy.

Jerome couldn't contain his elation, it certainly showed on his face. He wanted nothing more than to fill the city with absolute terror and mayhem, he welcomed this opportunity with open arms.

You and Jerome took the seats beside one another and Theo sat in the chair in front of you.

"There's something really special about you and Jerome. I can tell that you two are more than qualified." He leaned forward with his arms on the table, examining you two thoroughly. Jerome gazed back at him with eyes full of hope. You smiled upon hearing him say that because you knew it was true.

"You two have more of a spark than the others, if I'm being completely honest. You come as a duo, and it shows whenever you're around one another." he looked impressed, and you and Jerome couldn't help but grin as he spoke so highly of you two.

"Which is why I want you two to work together as much as possible. I see broad potential, it's not something I come across often. You are both going to be stars, so embrace it." he commented, that smug look still on his face. "I just ask for your allegiance to this cause, from the two of you."

"You got it, undoubtedly. We've been on the same page since the moment you broke us out of that hellhole." Jerome chuckled, his smile widening.

"Of course, this is such an amazing opportunity. We'd be fools not to comply." you added, smiling back at Theo.

"Very nice." Theo replied, a conceited look plastered on his face. "Starting tomorrow, the first thing I need from you two is to make a headline, show the city exactly what you're capable of. How you do it is completely up to you." he stated. "Give yourselves some time to think about it."

You turned to look at Jerome, his smile growing wider with mischief. He was much more creative than you were in that department, so you hoped he had something planned.

"Don't worry, we won't disappoint." you said, staying composed.

"Be sure to take the others with you and mentor them, they could learn a lot from you two." Theo finished, standing up and adjusting his suit. "Tabitha, show these two where they'll be staying." he instructed.

"Come with me." Tabitha said serenely. You and Jerome quickly followed her. She brought you to an empty and elegant room, the first thing you noticed was the soft and fluffy king size bed. You couldn't help but smile to yourself because you were going to share the room with him.

"You're free to do what you want, all we ask is don't make a lot of noise. Keep it quiet." she teased, closing the door on her way out. Jerome snickered and your cheeks flushed with a soft hue of pink, because that comment made you feel a little embarrassed. The two of you stood there, facing one another.

"Ha, I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that. As far as I'm concerned, we get to do whatever we want." Jerome laughed playfully, hopping on the bed almost immediately.

You joined him instantly, laying on the opposite side of him. You looked at him in a solemn manner and it didn't take him long to notice that you were in thought. His frolicsome grin vanished and he asked, "What's bothering you gorgeous?"

"I don't want you to get too ahead of yourself. I know you're excited to wreak havoc and get crazy, but we can't let our guard down. I'll play his game for a little while, but I will not blindly follow what he says. I appreciate him breaking us out, however, he only did it because it benefits him, we do his dirty work and he stays behind the scenes, it's really clever." you said in low whispers, to be sure that they wouldn't hear you.

"We can handle ourselves, if things get ugly then we'll just get rid of him, easy as pie." he shrugged his shoulders casually. "But why worry so much? It's not Arkham and we get to have some fun, this is what I've been waiting for." he replied with a confident smirk on his face.

"True, we always know how to get ourselves out of a sticky situation. I just don't want you to get too comfortable here, because that's exactly what he wants." you warned, you knew that Jerome tended to get overly excited when it came to the subject of chaos so you felt like he needed a reminder.

"Aw it's so sweet of you to worry about me." he replied in a soft tone and grinned slyly, laying down on his side with his hand placed underneath his cheek. "You know, we are finally getting the appreciation we deserve, let's relish in it. Don't be such a downer, gorgeous. We're going to have so much fun together, bringing the city to its knees, and there's no one I rather do it with." he said, getting all fired up. He was so eager and enthusiastic, it certainly made you feel better. You didn't have the heart to fill me in on more of your concerns and doubts. You decided that you should drop that topic for now and simply enjoy your time with him.

"I'll try to take a page out of the Jerome handbook then, so I can be as carefree as you." you couldn't resist teasing him at times, he did it to you all the time, so it was only fair that you did the same in return.

"That's actually your best idea yet." he remarked playfully.

"So don't we have to come up with a plan for tomorrow? I'm sure you have a hundred ideas going through your mind." you said, a soft chortle passing your lips.

"Of course I do. But my mind is on something else right now, something that might be just as fun." he moved closer to you on the bed and brushed his body against yours, gazing at you with suggestive eyes.

"Might?" you put emphasis on the word, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't have to choose do I?" he asked, an innocent pout on his face.

You giggled softly and then made your way on top of his lean body. He looked into your eyes seductively before taking your lips in his, he kissed you slow and rough, but with much passion. The taste of his lips was electrifying, you allowed yourself to get lost in the kiss almost immediately. His lips were warm and smooth as they brushed against your own. You stiffened a little when his hands planted themselves on your waist, but his light and playful chuckle managed to loosen you up again. You ran your tongue against his bottom lip, asking for entrance. He immediately gives it to you, his lips parting to let your tongue explore his mouth. Your cheeks flushed as he took your breath away and you could feel butterflies in your stomach all at once. You didn't want to break contact with him, you needed him as close as possible, so your hands began to ball themselves into his hair. A soft and quiet moan escaped his lips and it only spurred you on. He lifted his hands up the hem of your dress to feel your delicate skin, you gasped softly from the warmth of his fingers and inched closer to his touch. Your tongues continued to entwine and you felt a rush of heat travel through your body as his hands reached higher up your dress. You shifted a little in your position as he ran his fingers beneath the elastic of your underwear before removing them. You held him closer to your body, whispering his name under your breath. He pulled free from the kiss, his eyes were wild and a smile crept across his face.

You two quickly got engrossed in a frenzy of removing one another's clothing, they were tossed about the room and the bed, you weren't sure if you'd be able to find them all afterwards. At this point, you didn't care whether the room was locked and that someone could burst through the door at any given moment. The thrill of it only excited you and there was no greater feeling than being with him. He didn't waste any time climbing on top of your body once you two were fully undressed. He kissed your mouth once again, then your neck, and then your breasts. His hands and mouth suddenly seemed to be everywhere at once, touching every inch of your bare body. He kept his eyes on you as he did so, they were glistening and filled with devilry. You could feel his breath against your skin come hot and fast. You panted softly as his fingers did their work below your waist, moving slowly at first just to get you on edge, and then he picked up the pace momentarily. You squeezed your eyes shut, squirming under his relentless rhythm. The pulse between your legs grew stronger and stronger, your whole body felt stirred up, until he stopped.

"Don't stop." you moaned breathlessly, it felt too good for him to stop now. He smirked because he got the exact response he was looking for. He was such a tease and he always made you want more from him. He pulled your hips to draw you closer and he lowered his head down to nip on the side of your neck. You rolled your back in anticipation as he left wet kisses there, his eyes were fixed on you, a lusty energy coating his iris. You could see his desire for you so clearly etched on his face that it reminded you of how much you two needed each other.

He parted your legs and positioned himself right above you. He found the right spot and slowly pushed into your body. You moaned with pleasure and you grabbed onto his back instantly, pulling him closer to leave no gap between you two.

You wrapped your legs up around his body, wanting to feel every inch of him inside of you. You dug your fingers into his back vigorously as you two thrust your hips against one another. Your moans and pants filled the air mixed with sweat, your mind going blank from sheer bliss. You cried out louder as he moved deeper inside of you, you allowed him to fill you again and again, until all the empty places were gone. Your whole body tightened around him, you didn't want to ever let him go. He could feel the way his touch transformed you, the way that you clung onto his skin and the marks you left behind on it only encouraged him.

Your body trembled as he rocked the bed rapidly, the bed frame hitting the wall repeatedly and the thumping sound aroused you further. You were certain the others could hear you, but it didn't matter because you were with Jerome. He plunged himself inside you persistently, he was driving you crazy and you felt your toes curling against the sheets. He grunted with effort and you leaned in to cover his neck with kisses. You two kept thrusting rhythmically, until he finally came. A gasp passed your lips and from his as well.

It didn't take long before you two were at it again until sleep overtook you and you both contentedly rested in each other's arms.

Hours later when you awoke, you removed the blanket from your body slowly and inched away from the sleeping ginger silently, careful not to wake him. You grabbed a robe that you found in the nearby closet and you swiftly wrapped your body in it. You made your way to the door and opened it soundlessly, stepping out and then closing it behind you. You were quick to find Tabitha, who was relaxing on the sofa.

"Um hey, where's the bathroom? I'm going to take a shower." you asked, your cheeks flushed with a soft hue of red.

"Down the hall, first door to your right." she said with a disinterested look on her face.

"Thanks Tabitha, have a nice night." you smiled sheepishly and left the room as fast as possible.

You heard Tabitha chuckle to herself when you went down the hall.


	5. Showtime

The following day, you and Jerome both agreed on the perfect headline for all of Gotham to see. It was an easy decision to make, the first casualties of the day would be several guards and doctors at Arkham Asylum. The hospital left a bad taste in your mouth and you didn't approve of how the guards mistreated the inmates there, and especially you. You couldn't help but hold a grudge against them.

You were comfortably seated in the chair in front of your vanity mirror, you patted your face with a makeup brush, and smiled back at your reflection.

Jerome was lazing around on the bed behind you, looking as bored as ever. "How long is that going to take?" he asked, glancing at the back of your head.

"Not much longer. I need to look as good as possible if I'm going to be all over the news! We are going to be stars, remember? It's kind of a big deal. Besides I miss my makeup, I wasn't allowed any of it in prison." you replied, tracing your lipstick all around your lips and then puckering them.

"You look fine without it, gorgeous." he grinned, watching you apply the makeup from afar.

"Aw how sweet. I know you're just saying that so I don't feel the need to apply it, so nice try." you winked at him playfully and chuckled.

"I'm bored, you know I can't sit still for long, not when Gotham's calling my name." he remarked, stretching his arms out in the air. "It's getting louder."

You added the finishing touches, which was your eyeliner and eyeshadow. You turned around to the moping ginger on the bed.

"All done! C'mon, let's head out." you said with a big smile, he immediately hopped off the bed and joined your side, he couldn't contain his excitement. You brought the other members of the Maniax along with you two, excluding Barbara. Theo saw you on your way out, a look of contentment on his face, wishing you good luck. Tabitha followed as well, because she was going to keep a sharp eye on the group to ensure that the job was done.

As you and the others made your way down to Arkham Asylum, Jerome's hand crept to hold yours, gripping it firmly. You turned to him with a smile and he looked back at you with his signature grin. You knew that living this type of life was dangerous and that it had its consequences, but you loved the thrill of it especially when you were with him. Sometimes you weren't sure if you could keep up with him, he was so overzealous when it came to terrorizing the city and he had an irresistible urge for destruction, while you felt you were able to keep yours more at bay. He was consumed by the idea of being in the spotlight and everyone knowing his name, you could see it in his eyes. You just hoped that he would be willing to share it with you, because you were able to adjust so quickly after being sucked into this new way of life.

When you arrived outside of Arkham Asylum, you spotted two security guards protecting the place, they were as still as statues. You knew that wouldn't last long. You and Jerome gave each other a reassuring nod and told the others to wait for their cue. Once the guards heard Jerome's maniacal laughter, they took their guns out, and started looking around the region cautiously. You two were hiding by opposite sides of the gateway, waiting for them to find you. You could hear their footsteps as they looked about and you knew they were getting closer. You waited for the opportune moment, clutching onto your knife tightly. One of the guards appeared before you and you took him out with a swift slash through the neck, watching him fall to the ground as the blood spilled. When you looked in front of you, Jerome had already took care of the other guard, they were both bleeding next to each other. He smiled to himself, with specks of blood on his clothes.

"Sorry that we came unannounced! It was kind of a last minute decision, hope you don't mind." he said, leaning over them as he laughed loudly. He winked at you, expressing his approval.

"And to be fair, your jobs sucked anyway." you added, laughing with him. The others came out of their hiding spot as soon as the deed was finished. Arnold and Aaron looked down at the dead bodies dumbfoundedly, then back at you two.

"Oh don't worry, you'll have your fun too! Just follow our lead." Jerome replied, looking back at the rest of the group. Arnold clasped his hands together with a big smile on his face. Aaron cracked a small smile in acceptance. Robert laughed, getting fired up about the task at hand.

You giggled and took his hand in yours again. You busted the doors down to the asylum and almost immediately the officers started shouting with their guns pointed towards you, "Put your hands up!"

Aaron didn't waste any time pouncing on the guards in front, choking them with both of his hands to their necks, he banged their heads against the ground repeatedly until they took their last breath. Jerome dodged the bullets that were shot towards him just in the nick of time, and once he got the chance he flung a knife at one of the guards' throat. Their bullets didn't prove to be much of a threat because you were an expert at avoiding them, you pulled out your own gun and shot several of them in their heads. You could see from the corner of your eye, Arnold and Robert slashing some of the other guards with their knives and then kicking them to the side when they were finished. Jerome whistled before saying, "Nice one boys, but we're not quite done yet.

You turned to look at the inmates shouting and begging to be released, their hands gripped the bars and they shook them rapidly. You couldn't help but feel a little sympathetic towards them because you knew what it felt like to be behind those bars, but at the same time you knew that you shouldn't make such a spur-of-the-moment decision by freeing them.

You caught one of the doctors running away and before you could make your move, Jerome shot him in the leg and hurried his way over to his fallen body. The doctor laid there groaning and holding onto his bloodied leg.

"Not so fast big guy! Better to stay put because we'll find you anyway." he looked down at the fidgety man and smiled at him before shooting the other bullet into his head.

You could hear another person's soft footsteps down the hall so you carefully went over to investigate. You looked around for a few moments until the officer jumped out abruptly and fired his gun towards you, but it didn't reach you. You rolled over quickly and found yourself behind him in no time, you swung your knife into his neck and stabbed him several times before you deemed him dead. You took in a deep breath out of relief and then looked down at the spots of blood on your clothing, you could feel it on your face and skin as well.

"They are gonna have to hire so many new people, I feel bad for the person who runs this shitty place." you commented in a derisively tone.

Jerome was grinning from ear to ear when he saw you, so you couldn't help but smile back. Sharing this life with him made you feel even closer to him, almost like you two were cut from the same cloth. There was a look in his eye, like he was about to say something but instead he ordered the guys to get the cans of red spray paint out and start decorating the walls. They started spray painting the word 'Maniax' all over, covering the walls in it. You took a can from them and decided to write something as well. You looked at Jerome before adding some hearts in various areas with both of your initials printed in them. He chuckled upon the sight, he approved of it unquestionably.

"Ah, why are you so cute? Always the romantic, aren't you?" he said with an impish smirk as he leaned towards you, brushing his nose against yours fondly and you giggled as you returned the affection. He stole a soft peck from your lips but then he suddenly grabbed your arm tightly in his hand. "We best be on our way gorgeous, don't want to get caught in the act now do we?"

"Those damned cops will be here any minute, ain't no time for you lovebirds to canoodle." Robert complained.

"Right. Let's get moving boys!" you called out to them and they followed you out the door. You were all fortunate enough that no one saw you leave but as you made your way back to Theo's place, you could hear sirens in the distance.

When you made your way back, Theo welcomed you with open arms. He was eagerly awaiting for your return.

"Welcome back! The whole city is talking about the stunt you pulled. Brilliant job, everyone. I'm more than impressed." he congratulated you all, and you couldn't help but feel proud of yourself and the rest of the group because you had excellent team work. You made the news faster than you thought, the newswoman reported the crime and you got to see your handiwork on the big screen. Jerome hopped on the sofa and he burst into laughter, his eyes lighting up, he was certainly entertained. The others joined him on the sofa, gathering around to watch. Theo looked back at you with a satisfied smirk and motioned his head to the dining room, instructing you to follow him there.

You wondered what he wanted, he led the way and you entered the sumptuous dining room. There was candles lit in the dim room and wine glasses on the table. You raised an eyebrow, hoping that it wasn't what it looked like. Theo closed the door behind him. "Tabitha, bring him out." he ordered.

Tabitha came out pushing Aubrey James; the mayor. His head was locked in a large black box with vents in it and his hands were tied behind his back. She pulled out a chair for him and shoved him in it. You couldn't say that you were surprised, you already knew how powerful Theo could be and that he had the resources he needed to abduct someone like the mayor. You waited for Theo to explain.

"I haven't shared this information with you yet, Y/N, but I'm planning to run for mayor. I believe that you can help me reach that goal." he said assertively, taking a seat from across the mayor who was whimpering loudly.

"I told this fine gentleman what he needed to do in order to help make that happen. He called his secretary and informed her that he was running away with his lover. Sad thing is, he has to disappear with or without one. He's been dampening the mood with all his whining, so I was thinking you could get rid of him for me." he explained, staring back at you intently from across the room.

The mayor shook his head rapidly and he cried out, "No please, I'll do whatever you want. I'll disappear just like you said and I won't dare come back to Gotham! You have my word!"

"Your word's not good enough. As long as you're still breathing, there will always be that chance. A chance that you'll blurt out everything you know to the press about this incident. I'll be able to sleep better at night knowing that possibility doesn't exist." he moved closer to the mayor, making sure he heard every word.

"So you want me and Jerome to kill him?" you tilted your head to the side and asked him casually.

"That's the plan. Not immediately though, Tabitha enjoys playing with him when she's bored and I'm interested in what other bargains he'll come up with." he chuckled to himself and then added, "Tell Jerome the second you get a chance, he'll certainly be delighted."

"Not a problem. Just say the word when it needs to be done and we'll take care of it." you smiled confidently. "There's not a doubt in my mind that you'll be mayor soon, Theo." you assured him, acting as if you were going to do whatever you could to make that happen.

"I won't be able to reach my goal without your help, I can't thank you enough for your compliance. My promise remains the same, I'll make sure you all become stars and that all of Gotham trembles before you." he said with a satisfied look on his face.

You thought to yourself, "Could be fun. It would definitely serve as a pastime for me and Jerome."

"I'll make sure you two always stay entertained, boredom won't ever be an issue." he reassured.

"You're a smart man, Theo, to keep us around. We'll continue to meet your expectations." you made your way over to the mayor, lowering your head down to whisper. "I'll be seeing you, Mr. Mayor." you said with a long smirk on your face, he continued to whine and wriggle in his chair. You walked out the dining room and rolled your eyes as you left.

The next morning, Theo congratulated the whole group about how they made headlines. He flaunted the newspaper in his hand to ensure that everyone saw it. The picture on it was of the dead employees along with your graffiti. You were at the table with the Maniax, sipping your morning coffee. Jerome emitted a chuckle at that, he was becoming a newsmaker just like he dreamed.

"You all did such a fine job yesterday. The whole city knows your name. I think this calls for a round of applause everyone! I'm incredibly proud." Theo exclaimed zealously and everyone clapped their hands enthusiastically.

"Now that we have Gotham's full attention, it's time for the Maniax to make a monumental entrance." he walked across the room, examining the group as he spoke.

"But I thought that was it?" you tilted your head as you looked back at him.

"That was just phase one, to hush the audience and keep them on edge." he said in a murky tone. "The next step is to instill fear in them, take away what they love most and whatever they hold dear. Finally, we offer them a lifeline and then they are ours."

"That's how it's done, take notes Y/N." Jerome said with a chuckle as he looked back at you. You made a face and rolled your eyes playfully at the comment. You couldn't help but get the impression that Theo's mentorship would only make Jerome all the more egotistical.

"Ha, I think that applies to you too." you reached a hand over to the plate of donuts on the table, taking one with chocolate frosting and feeding it to him. He smiled as you did so and when he was finished with it you ate the rest.

"But most importantly, you need to brush up on your acting. Being on TV means that you need to have stage presence, so that you have your audience's full attention." Theo advised. You noticed that he was mostly eyeing Arnold, Robert, and Aaron. When they weren't looking, he winked at you and Jerome, which made you both laugh quietly.

While you were enjoying your breakfast, Tabitha and Barbara suddenly entered the room as well as the mayor. They were taking turns flogging his back repeatedly with a whip as he tried to get away, they laughed loudly each time they hit him and he uttered a sharp yowl every time. You raised your eyebrows at the sight and then remembered that the poor helpless man was only around to amuse them. They continued to beat him until his body bumped against the wall, resulting in him collapsing to the ground.

"Don't mind them, they're just entertaining themselves while he's still here." he reminded the group and made his way over to the mayor's body on the floor.

"We're bored!" Barbara whined. "You let the boys have all the fun while we stay here and do nothing but beat him." she thrashed the mayor again before continuing, "And it's not fair that Y/N is in on all the merriment, why does she get to have fun with them?" she scowled at you, hissing under her breath. You giggled when she looked your way and waved at her with a smile to aggravate her further.

"Oh, you mean Y/N and Jerome? They come as a duo, they're practically attached to the hip. They work incredibly well together so I can see why." he turned to look back at you and Jerome with a broad smile, you were both feeding each other various sweets on the table which led to you two making quite a mess on one another's faces followed by loud banter. Barbara crossed her arms, staring back at Theo until he finally said, "Don't worry, I have plans for the both of you. I won't keep you waiting long." he reassured.

Barbara sighed and shook her head, but then Theo added, "Tell me everything you have on Jim Gordon." he said, almost in a whisper.

You became very intrigued about their conversation once you heard that name again, you couldn't help recall what took place weeks ago and when he interrogated you back at the precinct. However, you weren't going to dwell on it. You took one last sip of your coffee and wiped your face with a napkin, from the corner of your eye you saw Jerome smirking at you.

"It's showtime now, darling." Jerome exclaimed, you knew exactly what he meant. He sprung from his chair and he grabbed your hand tightly. He practically dragged you out of the building and on your way out you could hear Theo's laughter which signified approval. Chaos was about to ensue.


	6. Half Truth

It all happened so fast, before you knew it, you were at the bank with Jerome and that's where he decided the next casualties would be. It didn't take long for the other members of the Maniax to arrive there with you. You didn't feel like they were needed but the backup would be nice.

"Hello everyone! May we have your attention please?" you asked in a soft yet loud tone to capture everyone's attention.

Jerome fired his gun at the roof and the patrons cried out in unison. They were running about the building and desperately looking for places to hide.

"My, my, so many runners here! Not to be uncivil or anything, but I highly recommend that you all stay put or you'll surely die faster." he grinned as they shrieked in fear and some people still continued to sprint, attempting to find the nearest exit. Most of them stayed still, doing what they were told. Jerome shot the ones who didn't do as he said, without hesitation. They instantly dropped to the floor and the others screamed at the sight. Jerome blew out the smoke from the gun, smirking broadly.

"I don't think I stuttered." he chuckled and then added, "Now I know what you're all thinking, that we're here for the money, but you couldn't be more wrong."

Everyone was crowded together, loud sobs and crying filled the room, people were begging to be released and trying to bargain their way out but you knew that it would be to no avail. You spotted a child huddled up to her mother and father, her head was buried in her father's chest and hot tears stained his shirt. Her noisy crying reminded you of every time you wailed to your sick mother at the hospital when you were little after being beaten by your father. You couldn't help but feel sympathetic and the sounds of her whimpering only made the remembrance of the memory harder to think about. You shushed the little girl from across the room when Jerome wasn't looking. She looked back at you with fear in her eyes but she tried to suppress her tears.

"Lucky for you guys, we won't be here long, we'll keep it simple. This is just a quick stop before we get onto more important matters. There's bigger fish to fry." he snickered and he ordered Aaron to get the gasoline pump from outside. Once Jerome had the gasoline pump in his hands, he didn't waste any time showering everyone with it, they all yelped and squirmed in their positions. After he was finished, a trail of gasoline traveled outside of the building. He stepped out and pulled out the lighter that was inside his pocket and grinned at his sniveling audience.

"Is everyone ready back there? On the count of 3! 1. . . 2. . ." he was rudely interrupted once the police sirens came in blaring outside of the bank. You and the others quickly went outside with Jerome. Jerome passed the lighter onto Robert so that he could bring out his gun. An officer started shooting towards your direction and you instantly avoided it. You fired back without hesitation and you were able to shoot him in the shoulder which made him fall back on the ground.

"Hold your fire!" Jim commanded the other officers, he ducked behind a car as the Maniax fired their guns in their path. Jerome skipped his way over to find Jim, aiming his gun at the car he was hiding behind. He fired until he ran out of bullets and chuckled to himself, "Oh Jimbo, come out, come out wherever you are."

Robert flicked the lighter repeatedly but failed to ignite it. Jerome looked back at him and rolled his eyes in annoyance. Aaron and Arnold pointed their guns to the other officers, firing at them without any second thoughts, but the bullets only hit the cars because of their lack of skill.

"What's taking you so long? Don't make me do it myself you pathetic halfwit." Jerome complained, giving Robert a black look. The officer you shot earlier had got back up on his feet while you were looking for Jim and he fired his gun at your arm, piercing your skin with the bullet. Jerome eyes widened once be realized what happened and he rushed to your side, catching you before you fell back on the ground. You groaned quietly but you were comforted once you felt his hands holding you up. Jerome grasped the gun you were holding and he shot that officer down with a scowl on his face. Your arm was stinging and bleeding steadily, you gripped onto it tightly to keep it from quivering.

"Let's get out of here, take us back now." Jerome ordered Aaron who instantly followed. Jerome got you in the car carefully, keeping his eyes on you the entire time as Aaron started the engine and drove all the way back to Theo's place.

Everything was sort of a blur on the way back and you felt lightheaded so you ended up drifting off to sleep in the car, with your head rested up against Jerome's shoulder.

When you awoke, your body was laying down on the sofa and you were back at Theo's. Tabitha was at your side and you immediately looked back at your patched up arm, which had a bandage wrapped around it. You looked about the room and you noticed the supplies on a table: the rubbing alcohol, tweezers, gauze, and the fragmented bullet that she removed from your skin. You jolted up even though you felt a sharp pain in your arm and you asked, "What happened?"

"You were shot by one of those cops outside of the bank, fortunately for you it was only a flesh wound. But you should still get some rest." she tried to guide you back down on the bed but you pushed her hands away.

"Why did I pass out then?" you questioned in a vexed tone, you were feeling a little groggy.

"Probably from the shock. It's all cleaned out, I'm sure of it. We know that you could never go to a hospital so if you need something I can help you." she reassured with a small smile.

"Thanks. Where is Jerome?" you made an educated guess in your head where he would be but that didn't stop you from asking.

"Jerome is at the police station, he left after he made sure you were going to be okay. I think he was actually worried, scared maybe, for you. It was so strange seeing him like that." she lightly giggled as she cleared away the supplies from the table. "Should've seen the look on his face."

You giggled once you heard that and you couldn't help the big smile forming on your face. "I wish I could have seen it too." you found yourself imagining a genuine concerned expression on his face but it was difficult to picture because that wasn't something you saw often unless he was feigning it. You and Jerome had an inseparable bond, when you two were alone you were able to bring out the more human side of him which is something that no one would ever see besides you. It was something that made you fall harder for him. You knew how the world saw him, as a monster, but that was something you could never see him as. There was so much more to him that only you were able to witness and that meant everything to you.

"I'd love to stay and chat with you but I have to get out of here." you tried to get off the sofa again but she instantly stopped you.

"Hey, he said you're not going anywhere today and that I had to see to it. He's going to take care of things there himself, he said there's going to be some hell to pay." she replied calmly, keeping her composure.

"Of course he said that, but really I'm fine. I can handle myself, it's only a little sore." you lied, it was hurting more than you'd like to admit.

"You're going to need to take some antibiotics for that, you don't want it to get worse." she noticed the pained look on your face and she handed you percocet pills, you promptly took it from her hand and swallowed them down.

"Theo cannot know about this, okay? I don't want him thinking I'm frail. I made a small miscalculation, no biggie." you looked her in the eyes and she nodded her head.

"I won't say anything, you have my word." you smiled, you had a good feeling that you could trust her because you sensed that she was hiding things from her brother as well, it wasn't just you.

"Good." you pulled your sleeve down to hide the bandage. "I know Jerome has things handled but those other guys aren't good for anything, more of an inconvenience." you shook your head and removed yourself from the sofa. "I'll be on my way now."

"That won't be necessary." Tabitha turned on the TV which was automatically set on the local news channel. A newswoman was reporting the GCPD massacre and that they were able to obtain footage from one of the assailants. You knew exactly who that was. She warned that the recording contained very graphic material. You stood there watching and waited for Jerome to pop up on the screen. When he did, his pale exterior was covered with blood and his lips were crimson red. His voice was husky and sinister. He was announcing to the world who he was and that he was the leader of the Maniax, so that everyone knew his name. He didn't stop there; he shot an injured officer with his gun who rudely interrupted him with his moaning. He told all of Gotham that they should be free like they were and reminded them to always smile. He was incredibly shameless in everything he said. They hadn't seen anything yet, this was just the beginning of a long blood-curdling journey and nothing would be able to stop you two.

His cop uniform attracted your attention more than anything else, it was hugging the contours of his body and you felt your heart flutter. It was literally impossible for him not to look good. You turned to smile at Tabitha who looked rather impressed. You were pleased yet you felt disappointed in yourself because you wanted to be there and see the look on Jim's face as all the destruction took place before his eyes.

"Temporary setback, unfortunately." you thought.

"He should be back soon, just stay here." she said with a confident smirk.

You sat back on the sofa and waited for Jerome to walk through that door. Your thoughts were loud and grating, you felt like a fool having to stay back because you wanted nothing more than to be there with him. You thought you deserved it after becoming such an ardent member of the group, but in the back of your mind you knew that you'd get a second chance eventually.

Jerome came through the door with his arms spread out dramatically, the blood was still stained on his face and partially on his uniform, he was grinning devilishly and he looked so proud of himself.

"What a show! It's a shame you missed it, Y/N." he plopped down next to you on the sofa and you instantly clung to him, your arms wrapped around his neck even though there was a stinging sensation in your left one.

"I'm so proud of you! You cleaned up real good." you giggled and locked your lips with his almost immediately.

He kissed back before answering, "I killed so many of those stupid cops I lost count. They were at my mercy and I made damn sure they were aware of it." he burst out laughing, like it was the funniest thing.

The others shortly entered after him, but you noticed that Robert wasn't with them. You raised an eyebrow as you looked at Jerome, "Did something happen to Greenwood?"

"He stole my line, can you believe that? I had to get rid of him, he didn't give me a choice. Never liked the guy anyway, he was a loony and pathetic cannibal." he shrugged his shoulders and mentioned the matter so casually. You never liked him either and he was more of a nuisance than anything, so you didn't mind.

"What an ass, I'm glad you got rid of him." you replied and you noticed that Jerome was staring at your arm, it was like he couldn't take his eyes off of it. "I'm fine, it hurts a little but nothing I can't handle. Don't be getting any more ideas about me staying behind, that was just a one time thing." you said positively, but at the same time you knew that you were trying to reassure yourself more than him.

"Of course, just a one time thing. You seemed a little distracted though, that can't happen again." he said as he ran his fingers through your hair, gazing into your eyes rather solemnly, you knew that you had to take him seriously when he looked at you like that. "But don't you worry buttercup, I disposed of all that waste."

"Right, it won't happen again." you reassured, but you quickly changed the subject as well as your tone. "Hey, we never discussed who was the boss of this group, but looks like you decided that on your own huh?" you pursed your lips and you watched his face as that signature grin appeared quickly after hearing what you said. You could see Tabitha roll her eyes playfully at the corner of your eye.

"I thought it was silently agreed upon. Do you really think you have what it takes to be the boss?" he teased, and before you could answer Theo entered the room. He had a smug smile on his face with his arms behind his back.

"Oh! You're all back already, perfect. Jerome and Y/N, come here for a moment, if you don't mind." he motioned you over with a finger and you two rushed over, practically jumping off the sofa. He brought you both to the empty dining room, shutting the doors behind him.

"You both look so enlivened, keep those smiles on, because there's something big coming up for you two." he examined you both with a satisfied smirk, the blood on your clothing caught his eye and he couldn't help but laugh at the sight, "There's going to be a magic show at the Gotham Children's Hospital gala next week. They already have a magician for the event but I figured that you two can make him disappear, so to speak." he lightly chuckled at the silly pun he made. You and Jerome looked at each other with hysterical devilry. Theo was unquestionably speaking your language. Magic tricks was right up your alley.

Jerome bowed dramatically and grinned like a Cheshire cat before finally saying, "You got it! We'll be there. I don't think there's anything more suited for us."

"That's not all. The deputy mayor will be there, he's going to take Mayor James' position because he's nowhere to be found, but we can't have that. When the opportunity surfaces, be sure to take care of him." he urged, looking back at you two fixedly.

You grabbed Jerome's hands in yours and sprung up and down gleefully, there was an ache in your arm but you didn't care because you couldn't contain your excitement, "This is so perfect! I can't wait!"

"It's great to see you so excited. As soon as I heard about it, I thought of you two and I knew that you'd love it." he looked pleased, he was confident that you and Jerome had what it took. "You're both a mess, clean yourselves up." he advised, giggling afterwards.

"Of course." you smiled sheepishly, "Theo, I just wanted to say thank you for breaking us out of Arkham and giving us all these opportunities, for believing in us." you said admiringly, but it was only a half truth. You were thankful for the chances he presented you and Jerome but in spite of everything, you knew not to trust him. As you got to know him more, it became clear that you and Jerome were just pawns in his game, but there was no way in hell that you would be his puppet. You knew that Theo needed the Maniax in order to advance his position in Gotham and that you were stuck doing his dirty work to make that progress happen. You reminded yourself to always stay one step ahead of him and to never make it obvious that you were onto him. But you embraced this opening, you and Jerome were going to be in the limelight, everyone's attention would be on you two. You knew that Jerome would relish in this more than anything because he adored having Gotham at his mercy.

"Not a problem, Y/N, just keep up the good work. I couldn't be more proud of you two." he smiled at both of you before he left the room.

Jerome turned his head to look at you by his side, he had that familiar look in his eye. "And the curtain rises! Lights, camera, action!" he threw his arms up in the air and cackled maniacally and you couldn't help but laugh with him.


	7. Hellbound

"Lights out Mr. Mayor!" Jerome exclaimed as he unfastened the mayor's tie from his suit and secured it around his head, leaving him blinded to the two figures standing in front of him.

"He looks so pale, I almost feel bad for him." you giggled as you got the duct tape out, but before you could smack it on, the mayor yelled out, "You don't have to do this! I'll do whatever you want! I'll literally do anything!"

Theo gave out the order that it was finally time to get rid of the mayor after holding him captive for several days, he was taking up space and bringing down the mood with his pesky begging.

"Now that's a tempting offer but as far as we're concerned, you don't have anything that we want. Well, except your life of course." Jerome cackled as the helpless man squirmed in his position, he was restrained in a chair with his waist and ankles strapped down with black belts.

"I said I would disappear just like he asked! I always keep my promises. You don't have to listen to him, don't you know that he's just using both of you?" he blurted out in a gruff manner, his voice shaking occasionally from fear, "He's making you two do this because he doesn't want to get blood on his hands, you're just pawns in his game! If you do as he says, he wins." his face heating up as he spoke, he was overwhelmingly desperate.

"Look hotshot, you're starting to get on my nerves. Stop trying to bargain your way out of this, you've always been a shitty mayor. No more offers, just accept your fate and maybe we'll go easy on you." you leaned close and as you were about to apply the tape on his big mouth, he called out, "You're both going to rot in hell for this! You deserve a slow and painful death and that day will co–"

You cut him off because his malicious words infuriated you, he was egging you on and that wasn't a smart decision considering the circumstances for him. You forced the tape down on his mouth harshly as Jerome watched with an amused face.

"You don't want to make her angry, she's not as nice as she looks." he said with a chuckle and then added, "Well when you raise hell, it's no surprise if that's where you end up."

"Harsh last words, and to think I was going to play nice and keep things simple with you." you hissed at him as he writhed in the chair.

"Oh let's be honest Y/N, you've been nothing but nice as of late ever since that unfortunate accident." he poked at your arm and you turned your head to him, looking at him with a frown.

"That changes today, I'm growing bored. Looks like I'll be getting back into the swing of things starting with you." you grabbed your butterfly knife and plunged it in his stomach. He yelped as it sliced him and the blood gushed through his clothes.

"Ooh, now that's going to sting a bit. You shouldn't have pushed her buttons, probably should have warned you about that beforehand." he chuckled as you stabbed him again in his stomach. His shrieks were muffled and his body shook, making the chair rattle against the floorboards.

"Let this serve as a warning to you, not to run your mouth to a girl that has this." you jabbed the knife into his ribs and then pulled it back out abruptly, a grimace distorted his whole face.

"Hey give me a turn, don't be unfair." he laughed as he snatched the blade from you, prodding it at his side. The blood came pouring out, soaking through his clothing and dripping onto the floor. He was breathing heavily and the sound of his cries were piercing.

"He's making a mess on the floor, I am not cleaning that up." you whined when you glanced down at the drops of blood beneath his chair.

"We won't have to, we can just make one of our lackeys do it." he said with a loud chuckle, stabbing him in the shoulder next. You took it back from him after he had his go at it a couple of times and you dug it back into his stomach, which was his cue to scream in agony.

"He's a tough cookie, he's lasting longer than I thought." you said with a look of distaste. Jerome looked back at you with suggestive eyes and a broad grin. He stepped closer to you, facing you now, and he grasped your wrist tightly in his hand. His eyes lingering from the bottom to the top of you. You could practically feel them staring into your soul as he traveled to your face and his warm breath caressed your lips as he leaned closer, his nose brushing against yours. A tingle ran through your body as his lips crashed against yours. The kiss was insistent and rough, you found yourself getting lost in it within a matter of seconds. You closed your eyes and enjoyed the sensation of his tongue lightly gliding across and between her slightly parted lips. There was an edge of urgency about his kiss, a hunger that might suddenly rage out of control, yet strangely tender and sensuous. You felt saliva gathering behind her teeth and trickling from the corner of her mouth as he moved his lips over and round your mouth, tender firm kisses working from the corners, slowly but deliberately nibbling at you, tasting your lip gloss and your softness. You couldn't help but giggle as you kissed him again and again. Jerome slowly freed his grip from your wrist and when the mayor let out a sharp cry, you didn't hesitant to shove the blade into his arm.

"He's so impolite, can't you see we're having a moment? If you could be quiet for us, we'd really appreciate it." he laughed before pressing his lips against yours once again, longer this time. Each kiss harder and more intense than the last. He ran his hands over your face and through your hair, and then worked his way downwards. You felt a shiver run down your spine as he slipped his hands underneath your blouse and scattered his fingers all over your back. Your whole attention was so engrossed in the taste of his lips and his tongue and his enthralling scent that he was able to seize the knife from your hand. He slashed the mayor's throat with one quick swipe which resulted in his head drooping.

"Hey! That was my kill, and I was going to but you–" Jerome snickered and cut you off, "Distracted you?" he guessed with a wide and mischievous smirk. "What did I say about getting distracted Y/N?"

You bit your lower lip and tapped your foot against the floor, looking back at him with a sad face. "You can be such an ass sometimes, Jerome." you complained with a short chuckle.

"Ah, now that's not fair. You see, I need you at your best for the gala. Don't let anything get in the way of the objective. Makes you look weak, and I know you're not but you can't seem like it even for a second." he retraced his steps towards you with the knife still in his hands, his voice was raspy and intensely cold, you found yourself paying close attention to every word. "Keep your eyes on the prize and the prize only. It's the best way to make sure things get done. Now promise me, you'll do as I say." he lifted his other hand and brushed his fingers against your left arm, looking into your eyes as he touched it. You winced when he did and he pulled back.

"I'll make sure I kill every last one of those bastards and empty that police department because they did that to you." he said in a sinister tone and you smiled slightly.

"It's hurting less every day, and next time you crash there, you have to take me with you." you uttered softly. "And you're right, I won't let myself get distracted anymore. I'll be better, promise."

"Good. Now smile for me, gorgeous. That frown doesn't suit you." he grinned, stealing a quick kiss from your lips.

"Bravo! Bravo!" Theo applauded as he entered the room and Tabitha followed him at his side with her usual poker-face. You both turned your heads to the sound of his loud clapping.

"Did you enjoy the show?" Jerome raised an eyebrow with a smug beam on his face.

"Of course. That was brilliant. Tabitha, could you please get rid of the body?" he asked and Tabitha walked over, putting her gloves on and untying him from the chair.

"You two never fail to impress me." he chuckled lightly. Jerome was standing next to you, smiling widely. "You're cleaning up admirably and you've both proven to be exceptionally reliable. I know I can count on you when I need it." he kept his eyes on both of you before saying, 'But there's something we must discuss."

"What is it?" you tilted your head curiously.

"GCPD has been all over the breakout at Arkham case, they're trying to piece together who was behind it. So we need to find a culprit, someone who will take the fall for us." he explained calmly, looking at you both expectantly.

Jerome rubbed the bottom of his chin with his hand, deep in thought. He looked like he hatched an idea within a matter of moments. He was always a quick thinker and you weren't sure if there was anything he couldn't do.

"Oh! I know exactly who we can pin it on." Jerome turned to look at you, pulling you closer to him by the shoulder. "We'll handle it, put your mind at ease."

"Wonderful. I knew you'd have a trick up your sleeve." he winked and then added, "Are you both ready for your big night? Everyone is looking forward to seeing you. I heard Bruce Wayne will be attending." he said, with a look of amusement.

"Of course we are!" you both said, almost in unison.

"Bruce Wayne huh? We'll make sure he has a grand time." Jerome approved with a devilish twinkle in his eye.

"Make me proud." Theo said before leaving with Tabitha so you were left alone with Jerome and you didn't waste any time asking him about his plan.

"So who's our perp?" you raised an eyebrow, waiting for his answer.

"That good for nothing fortune teller who's apparently my dad. I'm certain of his whereabouts. We'd have to plant some evidence at his place to make it seem like he orchestrated it, easy peasy." he explained simply, speaking of the matter so casually.

"Gotcha. It's been a while since we've seen him. Hopefully he's where you think he is. I'm sure he's heard all about what we've been up to lately, wouldn't be surprised if he took off." you said with a small chuckle.

"He'll be there, see I can be a little psychic too. And when we get there, we won't be just framing him for the breakout, I'm gonna have to kill him too. We'll be killing two birds with one stone." he laughed as he gesticulated with his hands.

"Ha I love it! You're so clever, Jerome." you giggled as you pressed your body against his, with your hand placed on his chest.

"I just have a knack for killing the elderly, it's surprisingly vitalizing." he burst out laughing.

"They should consider it a favor, we are allowing them to rest easy." you leaned in to give him a soft kiss before you two left.

You followed Jerome's lead and he brought you to his father's apartment. You took out a bent bobby pin when you reached the door and picked the lock with it until you gained access to the building. It was a good thing you always came prepared. You stepped into a dark and soundless room, it didn't feel like anyone was home but you bothered looking around the place anyway.

You searched through the other rooms as Jerome planted the evidence that framed his father. You didn't find much of anything in particular, it was quite empty, but a photo frame on the desk caught your eye. You picked it up, the picture was of Jerome with his father, Paul. Jerome was actually smiling, they both looked delighted so you couldn't help but smile yourself. The expression on your face was short lived though when you remembered how he was mistreated, ever since he was a little boy and you suddenly felt livid. You slammed the photo frame against the desk, breaking it in the process. When you looked back up, you saw Jerome standing by the door frame, smiling as always.

"We're not here to break his stuff, he won't be using any of it after he's dead." he laughed and then quickly continued, "No need to be so hostile towards the furniture."

You responded with a light chuckle. You heard the door open unexpectedly which caught you a little off guard. Jerome's smiled broadened at the sound of it.

"Looks like the man of the hour is here." he remarked with a sly grin. He motioned his head over to the other room and you instantly followed him. You walked up quietly behind Paul and he immediately sensed that someone was near him.

"Who's there?" he questioned, his voice distraught. You grabbed onto the scarf around his neck and yanked him by it, keeping it pressed against his skin to strangle him. He yelped in surprise and shook in his stance as Jerome crept up behind him. "What do you want?" he coughed, barely managing to get the words out.

"We won't be here long, just stopping by. It's been a while, Pops. Sorry if you didn't see us coming." he emphasized the word 'see' and cackled at the pun he just made. You laughed with him, he was always such a joker. "Y/N, don't end his pathetic life just yet. It would be rude not to let him predict the future one last time."

You pulled the scarf away from his neck swiftly and shoved him into the nearest chair, tying his waist with the scarf to it. You made sure it was tight enough but you knew he wouldn't be able to escape this ordeal even if he tried. Jerome took a seat in front of him when you finished, while you stood by his side to watch it all go down. You didn't think it was your place to speak unless spoken to, because this was going to be Jerome's last moments with his father.

"It's been a while, did you miss us?" he asked, his eyebrows raising and he continued, "I know you're wondering why we're here so I'll keep things short and simple for you."

"You two don't have to do this." his voice was shaking slightly as he spoke.

He thought to himself for a moment before answering, "Hm no sadly, we don't really have much of a choice. Hey Pops, remember that time when you told me that this world didn't give a shit about me? Looks like you were wrong. Your predictions aren't always on point." he said with a mischievous grin. "I think that applies to you, you're the one no one gives a shit about anymore."

"Jerome, this is not the path you want to lead. Bringing about chaos for the sake of chaos and sucking her info this life with you, your hubris will be your downfall." Paul said in a husky tone, attempting to get the words out as fast as he could.

"Oh don't you worry about her, she's versatile so she adjusted quickly." he turned to look back at you, that grin seemingly never leaving his face, and you smiled at his comment. He stood up suddenly and stepped over to his father, bringing a knife out that was tight in his hand. "I'll give you a quick update before I kill you. There's this guy, who recognizes how big of a star I can be. Something you were never able to register in that pea sized brain of yours. Tonight, all of Gotham will see it and maybe you'll get a live telecast too if they have one wherever you are, after this." he jested mockingly, his eyes full of mischief.

"Jerome, you—" Jerome interjected before he could finish. "Yada, yada, yada. Don't you start with me about how you wish things could have been different and make up a dramatic apology. I'm here for one reason only, well actually two. I was just about to get there until you rudely interrupted." he bent down to meet his eye level, his voice was guttural and menacing. He brought the knife inches away from his father's face.

"I admit that I was an awful father, I should have been better and if I could go back I would but don't kill me for those mistakes." he pleaded softly, his voice trembling at times.

Jerome was in a sudden fit of laughter, like the poor man's expression of regrets was the funniest thing.

"How sweet of you! But that's not why I'm going to kill you, allow me to elaborate." he walked back to the table and set his knife on it so he could display the evidence to his father, "Here's the map on how to get to Arkham Asylum!" he threw the map across the room, bringing out a stack of letters next, "I found this one to be a nice touch. Letters written in braille between you and your problematic son, it might seem harmless at first but once the police read it they'll find out that you're the one who planned my escape!" he chuckled as he continued and then picked up the can of sleeping gas for demonstration, "Oh and then here's the knockout gas you used to well you know, knock us out."

Paul shook a little in his chair but there wasn't much fight in him, he knew what was about to happen was inevitable the moment you two showed up.

"I think you know where I'm going with this. The guy whose name I can't speak of, he's the who one broke us out. He needs that to stay hush hush. So once the police find these pieces of evidence, they'll think that you were the one behind it. That's when the waterworks will arrive, everyone is going to feel sympathetic for the poor old geezer who loved his son." he said mockingly, feigning a desolated tone.

"They are not going to believe that ruse, they'll find out what you did to me." Paul hissed, his voice low but jarring.

"Cops are pretty dumb so I'm more than sure they will." he said with a smile, brushing off what his father said like it wasn't a problem. "You know, it's too bad that you're going to miss our big night Pops, it's going to be a blast. Everyone in the room will be sure to have as much fun as me and Y/N." he picked up his knife again and walked back to his father. "So how about one last prophecy huh? I think we have time for that, don't we Y/N?" he turned to look at you and you nodded in agreement.

"We are not going to lend you our palms though." you added with a soft giggle.

"You two won't end up behind bars, soon enough you'll both lie in a ditch somewhere, without anyone giving a damn as the worms feed on your remains."

You glowered when you heard him say that while Jerome cackled, always unable to contain his laughter. "That wasn't very nice, such a shame that I was growing to like you after you helped us get rid of Lila." you said in disapproval.

"Wow, that's a good one. Well that's it, show's over. Time to say goodnight. Oh and one more thing, maybe say hello to Mom for me, or not." he shrugged without a care and he raised his knife, literally seconds away from stabbing Paul until there was a loud knock on the door. Jerome instantly covered his father's mouth with a hand and hushed him with his finger in front of his lips. Your head turned towards the door instantly, you knew they were going to come through that door any second so you had to think up a ploy. You rushed to the window to open it up all the way, letting the cold wind come in.

"GCPD!" Jim yelled out urgently. "Mr. Cicero, it's Detective Gordon, there's something we need to speak to you about."

Jerome placed the can of sleeping gas in his father's hand, keeping it balanced on his leg, just before sticking the knife deep into his eye. Paul immediately released a sharp cry which was your cue to run out of the room with Jerome. He grabbed your hand and giggled, "Oh just wait until they get a load of that!"

Momentarily, Jim Gordon came through the door, dragging his partner Harvey Bullock out of the room but he quickly lost his balance and fell to the ground due to the sleeping gas surprise. He rested his head against the wall, you laughed when you saw him and Jerome knelt down to get a clear look at his fatigued face, snatching the gun from his police duty belt.

"How is that gas treating you? Sure packs a punch huh?" he chuckled, lightly patting Jim's face with his hand. Jim suddenly regained consciousness and grabbed Jerome, his hands tight around his throat, squeezing it.

"You murdered Sarah, I'm not going to let you get away with that, even if it means that I have to kill you!" he hissed as his hands gripped tighter around his neck, you didn't waste any time yanking Jim back to the ground and then you kicked him in his face with full force which knocked him out right away.

"Hey! I thought you said that we were going to kill Sarah Essen together!" you complained, a disappointed pout on your face.

Jerome coughed, he held onto the gun and pointed it to Jim's head, he was just about to fire until you intervened.

"Don't kill him, I want his fellow police officers to come rescue him and see him all pathetic like this. Besides he's fun to play with." you looked down at him and kicked him one more time to ensure that he would stay put.

"That's pretty cruel don't you think?" he asked with a grin, chuckling loudly.

"Maybe a little." he stretched his hand out for you to grab and you swiftly took it in yours.

"We need to get going gorgeous, we have an audience to entertain!" he cheered, gripping your hand firmly and skipping out the door with you. You two abandoned the bodies in the house, leaving them behind you.


End file.
